And Can It Be?

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Refrain:
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me. [Refrain]

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain]

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Refrain]

Charles Wesley, pub.1738 – copyright status is Public Domain. Courtesy of Timeless Truths Publications – Copyright © 2002-2020 Free Online Library.

Fully Persuaded!

He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he (God) had promised, he (God) was able also to perform.

And therefore it was imputed to him (Abraham) for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 4:20 – 5:2

Imputed – “credited to his account.”

Justified – “declared righteous”.

Faith – “A firm persuasion or conviction from hearing God’s word”.

Peace – as opposed to being at war with God.

Through Christ – “Neither is there salvation in any other…”

Access – Faith is the gang plank used to board the ship of grace.

Grace – “God’s help or enabling”.

Rejoice – having been justified (declared righteous) – WHAT JOY!

Hope – Confident assurance……that God will be glorified.

And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord; and He (God) counted it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6

Are you fully persuaded?

...let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

Definitions from W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

The Heart in the Old Testament

“The Hebrew word leb means heart; mind; midst.  Leb and its synonym lebab appear 860 times in the Old Testament.”*

“Heart is first used of man in Gen. 6:5; And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  In Gen. 6:6 leb is used of God: And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”*

“The seat of desire, inclination, or will can be indicated by heart.  Pharoah’s heart is hardened (Ex 1:16): whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it (Ex 35:5); I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all mine heart.”*

“The heart may be the seat of conscience and moral character.  How does one respond to the revelation of God and of the world around him?  Job answers: …my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live (27:6).  On the contrary, David’s heart smote him (II Sam 24:10).  Hezekiah walked with a perfect heart.  Only the man with clean hands and a pure heart (Ps24:4) can stand in God’s presence.”*

Leb may refer to the seat of rebellion and pride.  God said: …for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth (Gen 8:21). The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?(Jer 17:9)”*

“God controls the heart.  Because of his natural heart, man’s only hope is the promise of God: A new heart also will I give you…and will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26).  So the sinner prays: Create in me a clean heart, O God (Ps 51:10).”*

“The heart stands for the inner being of man, the man himself.  As such, it is the fountain of all he does (Prov 4:4).  All his thoughts, desires, words, and actions flow from deep within him.  Yet a man cannot understand his own heart (Jer 17:9). But God will cut away (circumcise) the heart of His people, so that they will love and obey Him with their whole being (Deut 30:6).”*

*W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Heart –  pg 108 & 109, Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

Only God can change a heart.  It is His work.